Social Emotional Specialist (Head Start)

Performs basic counseling and human services work in the Children and Family Services Division. Works as part of the division’s multidisciplinary team and in collaboration with parents, staff, and community agencies to promote children’s school readiness. Engages in activities to promote mental wellness, social-emotional development, evidence-based trauma-informed care, and mental health literacy and education. Provides ongoing consultation services and support to program staff, program participants, and the program’s contracted mental health consultants to address mental wellness social emotional health, and trauma. Responsible for the coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of high quality mental health services, which includes providing resources, developing partnerships, and making referrals to community agencies and programs.

Job responsibilities may include any of the following, depending on the incumbent’s functional assignment. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of job functions, but a representation.

Works as a mental health content area specialist ensuring the program’s adherence to Head Start Program Performance Standards and other applicable regulations, policies, procedures, and best practices.

Meets federal, state, and program documentation requirements by creating and maintaining accurate, objective, complete, timely, and well-organized files, reports, and child and family records. Maintains confidentiality regarding students and families and professional boundaries.

Plans and conducts high quality professional development for Head Start staff on the development and implementation of topics related to effective classroom management, positive teacher-child and peer interactions, parent engagement, evidence-based behavior strategies, and targeted interventions.

Supports the program in collecting and analyzing child and family outcomes data to effectively make data-informed decisions regarding the implementation of appropriate behavioral interventions.

Promotes a unified approach to meeting the needs of families by engaging in joint planning and sharing mental health and developmental information with content area staff and a range of community providers to identify resources, build partnerships, complete case management activities.

Completes, schedules, coordinates, and monitors mental health observations, social and emotional screenings as required. Conducts, coordinates, and documents necessary follow-up and treatment.

Works closely with family services team members and the program’s mental health consultant to provide parent education, identify signs of trauma, provide connection to needed resources, and integrate supports and services to assist in healing

Builds and enhances collaborative services to help families access and receive needed services with community agencies i.e., local substance abuse and mental health treatment programs, domestic violence service providers, disaster response programs, child welfare agencies, and other community service programs.

Applies working knowledge of mental health, human services, social work, child development, and trauma-informed care to help families improve their self-sufficiency, parenting skills, environmental stressors, and promote their child’s school readiness.

Assists parents in developing positive relationships, problem-solving and coping skills by providing supportive listening and/or referring them to appropriate community agencies.

Perform home visits as needed to support the program and families.

Assists teachers in providing developmental services to children in the County Head Start program.

Provides assistance in ensuring that the center, classroom, and playground environment is safe and in good condition for children at all times. Responsible for assisting in the supervision and care of children. Serves as a classroom substitute.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, counseling, sociology, psychology, or a related field. A minimum of two (2) years of work experience working with children and families, preferably in infant and early childhood mental health, case management, and economically disadvantaged populations.

Must possess or be able to obtain valid automobile insurance and a driver's license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia with an acceptable driving record.

Requires an acceptable criminal and child protective services background checks, and ability to obtain certification in Medication Administration, CPR, and First Aid.

Requires an initial physical examination to include a screening for tuberculosis, and periodic re-examinations to ensure the incumbent poses no significant health risk to the participants in the Head Start Program.

Supplemental Information

General knowledge of personal computers, word processing, and spreadsheet software systems, including the use of Microsoft Office to prepare notices, flyers, and reports.
Knowledge of human services, social work, early child development, specifically social-emotional development, infant and early childhood mental health, and literacy.
Knowledge of service providers generally available for families at risk.
Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to provide empathetic services; ability to relate to children and families served, and effective problem solving skills.
Ability to communicate, interact, and build positive relationships effectively with people from a variety of socio-economic and diverse backgrounds.
Ability to set limits, maintain a supportive role to other program staff, and intervene appropriately to meet the needs of program participants and their families.
Ability to prioritize, multi-task, utilize time management and organizational skills.
Ability to handle sensitive issues while maintaining confidentiality and objectivity.
Ability to work as a team player and interact/assist other employees as necessary.

Physical Demands

Must be physically able to operate a variety of machinery and equipment, including common office machines such as calculators, copiers, laptops, tablets, etc. Must be able to drive a motorvehicle. Work involves some walking, bending, climbing, running, crawling, stooping, and standing when completing observations, home visits, activities, and classroom visits. Work involves some pushing, pulling, and lifting of items between 10-20 pounds. Must be able to sit on the floor with children and occasionally run, crawl, and lift children weighing 40-55 lbs., when necessary.